John shipley



(No Model J. SHIPLEY.

I WIRE STRETGHER. No. 363,176. Patented May 17, 1887.

344 0 ante o N. PETERS, Fhuio-Lilhagmphnn Washinglop. D. c,

NITED STATES PATENT tries.

JOHN SHIPLEY,

OF SAME PLACE.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,176, dated May 17, 1887.

Serial No. 229192. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN SHIPLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Council Bluffs, in the county of Pottawattamie and 5 State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in hvireStretehers; and

I do declare the following to be a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which (0 it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to wirc-stretchers, and has for its object the construction of a device which will facilitate the stretching of the wires or strands in the setting up of wire or similar fences by providing a means for taking up the slack in the wire and provisions which will retain such wire when partially stretched in case it becomes necessary to obtain a fresh grip, and will hold the wire, when stretched,

during the operation of securing it to the posts or splicing the two ends together.

The improvement consists in the novel features hereinafter more full y described, claimed, and shownin the annexed drawings, in 'which Figure 1 is a plan view of a wire-stretcher o embodying my invention reduced to practice; Fig. 2, a perspective detail View showing its application for splicing the ends of the two wires.

The resistance-lever A is constructed so that 3 5 its inner. end, a, can obtain a purchase upon a post or other support, and forthis purpose the end a is curved and sharpened to fit about or biteinto the post, as desired, and is claw-shaped to receive and hold a wire.

To the outer end is pivotally connected the inner end of the wiregripping lever B, which has its outer end, I), bent approximately at right angles and terminating in a claw to grip the wire. The hand'levcr O, pivoted to the 4.5 resistancelever A at a point between its ends,

is connected by red D with the wire-gripping lever B. The loclebar E, carried by the resistance-lever,is provided with a series of perforations, e, one of which is adapted to fit over the stop f and hold the wire when stretched.

The wire-retainer is composed of the chain or connection 9, secured at its inner end to the resistance-lever near it s claw-shaped end a, and the claw-shaped retaining-hook G. The outer portion of the resistanceleverA is separated or divided, and the hand and wire-gripping levers are secured between these divided parts, so as to have a support both above and below, and the connecting-bar D, passed between said divided parts,is bi fu rcatcd at each end and embraces the respective levers. In practice the end of the resistancelever is placed against the post or other support, and the wire to be stretched is held by the grippinglever, the hand-lever is pressed toward the support or post, and if the wire be not sufficientl-y taut when the hand-lever reaches the limit of its movement, the wire is caught and held by the'wireretaining hook till the wiregripping lever is carried back and obtains a 7". fresh grip. When the wire is drawn taut,it is held by the locking'bar which is passed over the stop on the handlever. For securing the ends of two wires, one is held by the claw of the resistance-lever and the other wire held 7 by the grip liing-lever, and the movement of the hand-lever brings the ends together, which are held by the lock-bar, as will be readilyappreciated.

Having thus described my invention, what I Sc claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A wire-stretcher composed of a resist ance-lever, the wire-gripping lever pivotally secured to the outer end of the resistance-lever, 8 5 the hand-lever secured at its inner end to the resistance-lever between its ends, the connecting-rod extended across the resistance-lever and connected at its ends with the hand-lever and the wire-gripping lever, respectively, the 0 loclebar interposed between the resistance and the hand levers, and the wire retainer for holding the wire partially stretched while the wire-gripping lever is obtaining a fresh purchase upon the wire, substantiallyas described. 9 5

2. The combination, with the resistancelever and the wire'gripping lever carried by the-outer end of the resistance-lever, of the hand-lever pivotally connected. with the re sistance-lever between its ends, the connectroo ing rod crossed over the resistancelever and united at its ends with the wire-gripping and hand levers, respectively, and the lock-bar interposed between the hand and resistance levers, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination,with the resistance-lever having a claw-shaped end, and the wire-gripother lever and provided with a series of open-- ings, any one of which is adapted to engage with said stop, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the resistancelever having its outer portion separated or divided. the hand and wire-geipping levers pivoted between the divided parts, and the connectingrod passedbetween said divided parts, and havingits ends bifurcated and embracing the wiregripping and hand levers, respectively, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination of the resistance-lever having a claw-shaped end, the wire-grip lever mounted upon the outer end thereof, the handlever secu red at its inner end to the resist-ancelever between the ends thereof, the connectingrod placed crosswise of. the resistance-lever and uniting the hand and wire-gripping levers, the lock-bar having a series of openings, the stop, and the wire-retainer composed of the connection and the wire-gripping hook, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN SHIPLEY.

W'itnesses: A. S. HAZELTON, J. HENRY WEsTooTT. 

